Fruit preparation machine



14 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 24,f 19:54

A. R. THOMPSON ET AL FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Dec. 13, 1938.

Dec.' 13, 1938. y A. R. THOMPSON ET Al. 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1934 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 if n Y SD j I\ INVENTOR.

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Dwi 13 1938- A. R. THOMPSON ET AL 2,139,704

FRUIT PRF.`|PARATIOI\I` MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 244, 1934 "u N I M ,N w #e LN ha a IN VEN TOR.

ATTO EY Dec. 13, 1938. A. R. THOMPSON ET AL 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed Sept. 24 1934 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jack.

'AT EY.

Dec. 13, 1938. A. R. THOMPSON ET AL .FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed sept. 24, 1934 v14 sheets-sheet 5' r ATT EY.

DeC 13, 1938. A. R. THOMPSON ET AL. 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed Sepia. 24, 1.934 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTO EY Dec. 13, 1938. A. R. THOMPSON r-:T AL 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1934, 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 Dec. 13, 1938. A. R. THOMPSON ET AL 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed sept. 24, 1954 14 sheets-sheet s /V///iv/n. de.

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FRUIT PREPARATQION MACHINE 4 Filed sept. 24, 1934 14 sheetssheet 9 INVENToR.

i Dc. 13, 1938. A. R. THOMPSQN ET AL 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARAT ION MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1934 14 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR. /Y/e/' Maf/1,010. /4//7//4/11 de Jac/.

Dec. 12H3, 193.8. A. R. THOMPSON A1. 2,139,704

FRUIT PREl-"B'I'10N` MACHINE ,'14 sheets-sheet 11 Filed Sept. 24, 1954 IN VEN TOR. l/er/f A. Mam/0:0.

De 13, 19.38. A. R. THOMPSON ET AL 2,139,704

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Fi'led Sept. 24, 1934 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 ET Al..

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1954 14 SheeJLS-Sheei l5 .L A T E N O S mi M D H T R, A.

FRUIT PREPARATION MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1934 14 ,Sheets-Shes?l 14 myf7 Patented nee. 13, 193s PATENT OFFICE FRUIT PREPARATION CHINE Albert R. Thompson and smsen V William Jose, Calif., amignors to Food Machinery Oorcorporation poration, San Jose, Calif.. a

IWIIB OfDel- Application September 24, 1934, Serial No. 745.252

ilclaims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful features and improvements in fruit preparation machinery suchl as disclosed for example in .aureo-pending' application serial No. 533,048, illed 5 April 27, 1931, whereby the several operations required for preparing fruit, such as pears, for canning or drying may be performed by, automatically actuated mechanical means.

Av general object is to provide a machine to 10 which the pears may be fed continuously and which operates to stem, peel, split, core and trim the fruit, and iinally eject the nished pieces for suchfurther disposition as may be desired.

It is also an object to provide a fruit preparal tion machine which is fully automatic -in ,the

in operation, and of rugged and simplified con-l struction.

l A still further object is to' provide a feedingv device which automatically and uniformly aligns the pieces of fruit relative to their stem axes whereby they may be delivered to the stemming devices in accurately centered relation. $8 A further object is to provide a stemming device for fruit preparation machines which is of great rigidity and will effectively and neatly remove the stems from the fruit without waste of fruit. 40 A further object is to provide an improved peeling mechanism operable to follow closely the4 contour of a pear presented thereto and to remove a peel of uniform thickness irrespective of the size or shape of the fruit. 4B' A further object Vis to provide a removable mounting for the peeling units whereby they may readily be removed and replaced. v

A further object is to provide means operable in conjunction with the peeling means t'o retain so the fruit firmly in operative position lduring the peeling operation without interfering with the action of the peeling mechanism. Y

A further object is to provide a splitting device onto which the fruit is transferred after it has been presented to the peeling l (ci. 14a-ss) A further object is to provide a splitting device having automatically actuated coring and trimming knives associated therewith whereby the splitting, oorlng and trimming ls accomplished at a common station with simpllned mechanism. 5

. A further object is to 'provide an' automatically Vactuated transfer mechanism operable to remove the fruit from the supports which present the fruit to the peeling mechanism, carry it onto the splitting device into operative relation with the ooring and trimming, kniveaiand thereafter. release the fruit after completion of the coring and trimming operations.

A further object ,is to provide a caring knife adapted to separate the severed cores from the fruit as the fruit falls away from the knife.

A further object is to provide an ejector mechvanismnrrangeiitoneceivethefrultasitisreleased from the splitting and coring mechanism and automatically eject it from the machine.

Varlous'other objects in addition to those specically enumerated will, it is believed. best be understood and appreciated from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is iilustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention especially designed for the preparation of pears.

Inthe drawings; t

Figure lisaplanviewoithemachinewiththe upper portion of the gear cover broken away to disclose the arrangement oi the main driving gears.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the llongitudinal center line oi the machine and illustrating the positions of the parts when the reciprocating carriage is in retracted position. For purposes o! clarity only one of the peeling units mounted on the carriage is shown.

Figure 3 -is a longitudinal vertical section similar to Figure 2, except that the cam cylinder and certain of its associated parts are illustrated in elevation; and this ligure also illustrates the positions of the parts when the reciprocating carriage has been advanced to the end of its forward stroke.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the left hand end of the machine with the gear cover and parts outwardly thereof removed `to illustrate the arrangement of the driving gears.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view transversely of the machine as viewed along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken through one of the stemming tubes and illustrating the manner in which the ejector mechanism is associated therewith.

` Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along theline 8-9 of Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of the peeling units, and illustrating the stop mechanism associated therewith.

Figure 1l is a plan view of the peeling unit and stop mechanism illustrated in Figure l0.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of one boi? the peeling assemblies.

Figure 13 is a sectionalv view taken along the line II-It of Figure 12 illustrating 'the action ofthe peeling assembly in operation.'

Figure 14 is an end elevation of the right hand or discharge end of the machine.

- v Figure 15 is a side elevation of the feeding d vice.

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally throughthe center of the feed mech amsm. 4

Figure 17 is an end elevation of the shuttle block associated with the feed mechanism for actuating the impaling spindles.

Figure 18 Ais a sectional longitudinal section through the shuttle block as viewed along the line III-I8 of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the arrangement of one of the pushers with respect to the spindle and spindle frame arm, with which it is associated, just before being carried into engagement with the latch block by which itis operated. v

Figure 20 is a fragmentary perspective view of the same parts shown in Figure 19 illustrating the manner in which the pushers are actuated by the latch block.

Figure 21 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clamp assembly taken along the line 2I-2I of Figure 8. x

Figure 22 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clamp assembly taken along the line 22-22 of Figure 8.

Figure 23 is a cross sectional view through the clamp housing; as seen along the line 23-23 of vFigure 22.

Figure 24 is a cross section through'the clamp housing taken along the line 24-24 of Figure 22. Figure 25 is an elevation of the pawl which actuates the clamp latch.

Figure 26 is aside elevation, partly in section. of the splitting, coring and trimming unit.

Figure 27 is an end elevation of the splitting unit shown inFigure 26.

Figure 28 is a side elevation-of the ejector mechanism as viewed along the line 28-20 of Figure 8.

Figure 29 is 'a side elevation of the coring knife.-

Figure 30 illustrates the coring knife as viewed from the right of Figure 29. v

Preliminary to a.' more detailed description of the machine illustrated, if maybe stated in brief that it comprises an intermittently rotating turret provided with a series afstemming tubes upon which the pears to be operated upon are impaled and advanced. The pears are delivered to the stemming vtubes by means of a rotary feeding de' vice-to which they are manually delivered and which is operatedln timed relation to the turv.ret to position the pears with their stem axes in alignment with the stemming tubes and impale them thereon. As -the pears are carried away from the feeder by the stemming tubes they are successively presented to a series of peeling devices mounted upon a reciprocatingcarriage which is'moved alternately toward and away from the turret vin timed relation thereto so as to draw the peeling devices over the pears on the stemming tubes/ during the periods intervening be' tween intermittent movements vof the turret. After being presented to the several peeling d evices, the peeled pears are then presented by the stemming tubes to a splitting and coring-station where they are removed from the tubes and cartied onto a splitting blade in operative relation with caring and butt trimming knives, which operate to cut out the cores and trim the butt ends of the pears. 'I'hese latter devices complete the cycle of operations on the pears which, having been stemmed, peeled, cored, trimmed and split into halves, are then released into a dis-'- charge mechanism which ejects the finished halves from the machine.

The turret and drive With the foregoing general description inmind, the details of the mechanisms referred to will become apparent by rst referring to Figures 2 and 3 wherein it will be seen that the machine includes a supporting framework made up of a base I upon which is mounted a pair of opposed end standards 2 and 3 rigidly interconnected by a pair of tie rods 4. Extending between, and supported by the end standards, is the turret shaft 5, rotatably journalled at one end in a bearing carried by the end standard 2 and supported 'adiacent its other end by a sleeve 'I journalied in roller bearings disposed within a bearing housing 9 formed integral with the end standard 3. A packing disc Ilimay be screwed onto the sleeve 1 to close the open end of the bearing housing 9 and bears against the inner bearin race 'for adjusting the same.

The turretv shaft 5 projects beyond the end standard 3 into a gear chamber formed by a gear cover II secured to the outer ilanged face oi?V the end standard and is intermittently rotated one-sixth of a-revolution at a time by means of a Geneva gear I2 keyed thereto (see Figures 1, 2,

and 4) and actuated by the Geneva driver Il carrying the usual driving roller I4 which engages with the radial slots I5 in the 4Geneva gear for driving the same. When the roller Il is out of driving engagement with the Geneva gear the ter is locked against rotation by the locking g Il carried by the driver I3.

The Geneva movement described is driven from the continuously rotating main driving shaft II by means of a pinion I8 secured thereto which intermeshes with gear teeth I9 extending aroundthe periphery of the Geneva driver I3. Power for operating the main drive shaft I1 may be supplied from an electric motor 2li through a clutch 2i by means of a chain 22 trained around vthe clutch sprocket 23 and motor sprocket 24.

The chainv22 may be inclosed within a guardl casing 2l, mounted onsuppor'ting rods 26 projecting fromA the gear coverl I I. As the clutch -2I may be of conventional type, it is thought unnecessary to disclose details of its construc- A tion. It is actuated into and' out,of engagement so as`t`o connect or -disconnect the drive "sprocket 23 with the drive shaft I1 by means of a hand levery 21. A lhandV wheel 28 may besecurada, meeuwen transavia: shan n ysonetopermitthelnlirhineiaolrcturnedover iii bynandndesired.

'nxedtomemmcmeswthe ngntnand' lner in'whlch on the turret is best illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 5, 5 and 7, wherein it will be seen that the tubes are .substantially oval in'cross section and Novidedwlth a pair of oppositely extending dns 2i which prevent the pears from turning about um tubes nu bem; impeled thereon.

'111e forward edges of the tubes and uns are preferably ground to knife like edges .so as to insure aclean cutintheileshofihepears Itmaybe stated here that the arrangement of the splitting mechanism hereinafter' to be described is such that the pears are split in half alongl a plane .extending at right angles to the maior `width of the tubes; thatistosayalongiheplane-ofthe fins Il. In this manner the-incision in the flesh of the fruit made by the fins does not show inthe iinished halves of fruit v By making the stemming oval in shape, and positioning the fins along their sides as shown, the strength of the tubes is materially increased so that they may be made sufficiently small as not to waste the fruit without sacrificing the-rigidity necessary to prevent buckling in operation. Cylindrical tubes, 1un other hand, involve the disadvantage that they must ordinarily be vmade overslnein orderto provide the necessary strength and, consequently1 take a larger"cut than necessary, thereby `the fruit.

Each stemming tube has an :elector mechanism associated therewith which, las `seen in Figures 6 and 1, includes a tubular plunger housing 32 provided with -a `split clamp head Il which serves as a holder for the mbe. The turret 2! is provided with suitable apertures through `which the plunger housings `the latter being held in. position by means of ring nuts Il screwedl onto the bodies of the housings and engaging with the rear face of the turret. The stemming tubes are removably mounted in the `clamping heads .23. which are centrally bored to provide for the reception of the cylindrrlcal rear ends lof the stemming tubes, and are .slotted as at 35 to receive the radial II on tubes, which may be formedhy rearward extensions of the fins 3|. The clamping heads are crosswise as at 31 and Il for vthe reception of machine screws 3! and Il which screw into tapped portions of the drilled holes :and serve to draw `the split parts of the clamping head together against the stemming tube guides to clamp 4tribes firmly in place. The pexipheries of `the heads may be notched as at Il to the heads of the screws, and the fins are also notched. as at I2 and I3 to clear any screws. It `will be apparent that by the :illustrated the stemming tubes may .readily 'be removed from the clamping heads upon of `the :screw l and loosening of the screw Il. i

Mounted for with leach stemming tubeisan ejectorroduwh'ichisactuatedby a plunger I5 slidahly mounted in the plunger housing 32 and having a guide lug M. upon which is mounted a cam roller Ii with an annular channeled cam track Il fixed to the end standard 2. The guide lug Il reciprocates in a slot 4l extending longitudinally of the plunger housing so as to prevent the roller from falling out of engagement with the cam track. The configuration of the cam track (see Figure l) is such that eachcam roller is actuated thereby to advance and retract its associated' ejector rod 44 through the stemming tube as the turretcarries the latter from its topmost position to the next succeeding station, there being no pear on the stemming tube at this time as will hereinafter become apparent.

The 'feeding mechanism For feeding the pears to the stemming tubes 30 and impaling them thereon in accurately centered position with respect to their stem axes, a mechanical feeding mechanism is provided which is operated in timed relation to the turret 29 to de liver the pears automatically onto the stemming tubes in properly aligned positions.

Such feeding mechanism (see Figures 1, 5, and 16) includes a drive shaft 50 extending longitudinally of the machine along one side thereof and intermittently rotated one-third revolution l at a time in an anti-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, by means of a gear 5| secured to the shaft and intermeshing with gear teeth 52 formed around the periphery of the turret 29. The drive shaft Il is journalled at one end in a bearing 53 carried by a. bracket 5| secured to the end stand' ard 2 and at its other end in a bearing 55 formed on the end closure 5B of a cylindrical cam housing 5l. The cam housing may be secured to the end standard 3 as by means of bolts 5 8.

As best seen in Figures 8, 9, and 16, a pair of spindle frames generally indicated at 59 and 6U are mounted upon the drive shaft 50 within the cam housing 51, and are interconnected for rotation in unison by tie rods 6i. The rear spindle frame 5l includes a. hub portion 52 and a plurality of radially extending arms 63, three in all in the illustrated embodiment. The forward spindle frame 5I also includes a. hub portion indicated at Gl and a plurality of radiating arms 65 corresponding in number to those of the rear spindle frame, but of slightly modified construction for a purpose to become more apparent hereinafter. The spindle frames are driven from the shaft 5I by means of a flanged coupling Si pinned to the shaft and fastened to the forward spindle i frame by cap screws l1 extending through slots BB in the flanged portion of the couplings.

'I'he arms 53 of the rear spindle frame are bored near their outer ends for the reception of guide rods 59 secured therein by set screws 1li, and these guide rods project interiorly of and form guides for spindle sleeves 1| which are slidably mounted thereon. The spindle sleeves 1I are also slidably jour-nailed in the forward spindle frame arms 5l, which are suitably bored for theirv reception, and carry tubular spindels 12 pressed or sweated into their forward ends so as to be rmly secured thereto. The spindles 12 have their free ends sharpened to a knife like edge, as indicated at 13, and serve to receive the pears which are impaled thereon butt end iirst and carry them into properly centered relation to the stemming tubes 30 for transfer thereto.

' The rear ends of the spindle sleeves 1| are adiustably mounted in split clamps 1I mounted integral with slide blocks 15 slidably Jour-nailed on the tie rods ll which parallel the spindle sleeves and are rigidly secured in the spindle frames by set screws 18. Guide rods 11 may also be provided to assist in guiding and bracing the slide l blocks, which latterl for this purpose, may be provided with arms 18 having semi-cylindrical bearings or yokes 19 formed on their'outer ends to embrace the tie rods fox-.sliding movement there along.

` rigidly held in. spaced `relation" y 'Ihe spindle sleeves 1| are axially reciprocated during rotation of the spindle frames so as to advance and retract the spindles 12. in` timed relation to the operation of a centering mechanism shortly to be described so as to impale the pears thereon incorrectly aligned positions as they are presented thereto by an operator and then present them to the stemming tubes 38-carriedby the turret. 29. This is accomplished in part by stationary cam plates 88, 8| andl 82 secured to the inner surface of the cam housing51 by spacer lugs 88, and partly by a reciprocating latch mechanism now to be described, all of which are arranged to operatively engage with roller cam followers 88 carried by the slide blocks 15.

'I'he latch mechanism referred to (see Figures .9, 15, 17 and 18) is mountedon the outside of the cam housing 51 directly beside one of the positions at which the spindle sleeves come to rest at each idle period between the intermittent rotative movements of the spindle frames. Said mechanism includes a grooved shuttle block 85 slidably mounted on parallel guides 88 carried by a guide frame 81 secured to the outside of the cam housing over an opening 88 cut therein and through which the shuttle block projects. 'Ihe rear face of the shuttle block carries a latch 88 pivoted to the block at 88 and having a hooked end formed by an arcuate cam finger 9| projecting upwardly from the body of the latch and provided with a bevelled portion 82. A spring 98 normally urges the hooked end of the latch outwardly away 40 from the shuttle block.

'I'he shuttle block 85 is normally retained in its extreme forward position, as illustrated in Figure I5, during the rotative periods of Ythesliindle.

frames. and is reciprocated once during each stationary period ofthe spindle frames. Recipro cation of the shuttle block is effected by means of a shift arm- 98 which is loosely connected to the shuttle block by means of a pin 95 carried by a boss 88 on the front of the block and slidably projecting through a bearing 91 in the upper end of the shift arm. A light coil spring 98 surrounds the pin between the face of the shift arm and a rotative movements of the turret 29 andthe feedy to prevent rotation-of the cam cylinder about the axis of theuturretshaft ,5, s y

VThe cam cylinderfl'lfi isseparaI p its length to forrn tuur'y complement means of spacer ro'fr I I8 and to a calrlaggl groove H1 betlwe lcam cy1inder. fjxialfreciprocatio The ,sleeve 1 'is l"conti'nji'iously,l driven throughtheA As best seen lnrigures-2and3; tnefcanismt i nf and theremaindex of 'its length cludes a pair of figuration-of the cam' slot it willbe apparent that 'reversely related angular'portis lry this con? while the sleeve 1 rjotates,coniinnonisly,v the cam I cylinder itself is'only 'intermittently rccip'rocat'e'iiy since it is only actuatedduring part r4of eachrev'of` lution of the sleeve; The disposaient: the cam slot with relation to the'drive'mechanism issuchl that the camycylinder remainsistationary during ing mechanism,pan"dfis advanced retracted during the periods intervening'between'- the intermittent rotative. movementsof the turret and feeding mechanism'. .10 f

By the arrangement justdescribedit will be* seen that as eachrspindlc y1211s carriedby the' spindle vframes 59 and88 into position A, as indicated on Figures 8,*9. and 15 and during the idle periods between rintermittent rotative movements of the spindle frarnes,` the ,shuttle` block 85 is successively vmoved first 'to the left,' as" viewed in mmm 15, andftnen to mangia, 'une spindle frames being stationary during this'time." rAs, the

.shuttle block moyes'toy the left, the latch 9| rides.

over the adjacentcam roller carried byy one of the slide-blocks" `18 and snaps into place behind it. When the shuttle block is then .moved back,

Y to the right, the latch engages the camroller and washer 88 held on the pin by means of v.iam

nuts |88, which may be adjusted to vary the tension of the spring, .as will be apparent.

-The shift arm '98 (see Figure 9) is slidably journalled on a guide rod |8| extending longitudinallyof the machine and secured in brackets |82 depending from a side rail |88 secured at one end to the under side ofthe cam housing 51 and at the other end to the bracket 58'. 'I'he shift arm is provided with a gudgeon |88 at its 1ower end which engages a bearing |85 formed on-one end of a horizontal rock arm |88 pivotally journalled intermediate its length on a vertical pivot stud |81' secured tothe base The opposite end of the rock arm |88 also carries a bearing |88 iiournalled on a guide post |89 depending from an end platel |8 (see Figures 2 and 3) secured to the rear 70 face of af cam cylinder Ill slidably journalled 'on the turret shaft 5 and the sleeve 1 for axial reciprocation thereover. The guide post |88 is provided'with a follower roller ||2 at its lower y endwhich engages a rectilinear groove H8 in a yieldingly moves'the slide block15to`the right, thereby also advancing yits spindle `'l2 to engage the blossom e'nd of a presented to it by the operator. Upon reachingv the forward or right hand endy of 'itsfstrolrel vtheshuttle block stops and remains' idle during` the v.succeeding rotative movement 1of thespindle frames, which'.y

brings the next-succeeding slideblcl 15 and associated spindle into position for` actuation by the shuttle block, 'which thereuponrepeats the cycle of operati'lns.descfribed` y For a proper Aun derstandingof movements of the spindles `and the purposes, accomplished thereby throughout their cycle of rotation, it will, be convenient toconsider their-operation in cons-K junction with thelponstruotion' andloperation of the centering mechanismwhichis cooperatively* associated with the spindle mechanism and which operates in unison therewith@ Such. centering mechanism,'best:seen ink Figures 5, 15 and 16, in-

cludes a stationary cam disc |28. surroundingthe feeder drive shaftfaU andy secured to a supportingstandard |25 carried' by thelsideraill83 which extends alongsidethe -machine. y*Mounted von-the,-v

drive shaft 58 relation to thecam disc.

|24 is a drive disc i2., the face of which is held in spaced relation to the cam disc by a centrally arranged spacer boss |21. The drive disc is intermittently rotated by a ange |22 formed on its hub portion |29 and secured to the intermittently driven gear 5| by cap screws III.

Mounted between the opposing faces of the'- discs |24 and |26 are three pairs of scissorlike centering blades |3| corresponding to the three spindles 12 and arranged iii/alignment therewith. The centering blades of each pair are provided with complementary notches |22 and are pivotally mounted on the drive discs |28 by studs |32. The edges of the notches |22 are preferably sharpened except at their apexes and for a short distance immediately adjacent thereto, at which places they are upset or dulled in order that they may clamp the stem portions of the pears therebetween in the manner shortly to be described. The inner ends of the blades are provided with oppositely disposed bosses |24 which hold the blades ill in shearing relation. and the adjacent edges of the bosses are provided with intermeshing gear segments |25 whereby the blades of each pair are operated in unison. One of the blades of each pair is provided with an arm carrying a cam roller |26 which engages a cam slot |31 cut in the face of the stationary cam disc |24.

It will be seen that the centering blades |3| and the Vspindles 12 are rotated in unison and in aligned' relation. The positions assumed by the several pairs of centering blades during each period between intermittent rotativeV impulses is shown in Figure 5, wherein the positions I, II and In correspond and are opposite the positions A, B and C, respectively, of the spindles 12, as

`at position A. As this is being done by the operator the spindle begins to advance toward the pear by the action of the shuttle block l5 engaging the cam roller on the slide block and is iinally brought into engagement with the pear,

whereupon the latter, being now fully supported i by the spindle and centering blades, may be released by the operator.

It is to beobserved at this time that the connection between the shuttle block Il and its actuating arm 94 is a yieldable one, by virtue of the spring 98 interposed therebetween, so that the spindle is yieldable during its advance. The purpose of this constructionv is to prevent the spindle at this time from penetrating to any substantial extent into the pear, which 'maynot yet be fully centered therewith. This is due to the fact that the centering blades are supporting the pear at this time by engagement with its outer surface, and as the stems of pears do not always lie exactly axially of the bodies of the fruit, it is desirable to,.leave the pear free for lsuch pivotal adjustment about the end of the Such adjustment is accomplished by the centering blades as they are advanced from position I to position II, during which time the correspondto B. and the next succeeding spindle and its corresponding pair of centering blades are, of worse, at the same time brought into the positions A and I for the reception of another pear in the Vsame manner heretofore described.

As the centering blades are rotated from position I toward position II they are urged together in shearing relation by the cam roller i following the cam groove in the cam disc |24, so that the blades-shear through the flesh of the l pear supported therebetween and snugly grip the `positive engagement with the pear until such time as the centering blades have cut into the fruit far enough to firmly support it, thus preventing release of the fruit by accidental retraction of the spindle before its roller follower comes into engagement with the cam plate Il.

As the centering blades and spindle assemblies approach positions 1I and B, respectively, the

pear carried thereby is passed beneath a rapidly revolving circular 4knife III which cuts on a predetermined portion of the stem end of the pear, leaving it entirely supported by the spindle. 'I'he connguration of the cam slot between cam plates II and 8| is such that each spindle assembly is retracted a slight distance just after the end of the pear has been severed by the knife IIB, which occurs immediately prior to the assembly leaching position B. This draws the body of the pear out of contact with the revolving knife and avoids any possibility of the latter wrenching the pear out of alignment on the spindle. ,The knife |28 is secured to a drive shaft il! operatively connected at one end with the electric motor 2n and journalled at its other end in a bearing |40 carried by the semi-cylindrical centering blade guard |4I formed integral with the bracket 54. A safety guard |42- may be provided for shielding the knife |22.

The next advance of the spindle assembly and its corresponding centering blades carries them through another one-third revolution to bring them into position C and III, respectively. as indicated in Figures and 8. During this movement the centering blades lll, having performed their function, are opened wide so as to clear the pear supported upon the spindle 12, which latter is further advanced by the cam plate l0 during its approach to position C so as to position the pear immediately adjacent the end of one of the stemwith the spindle at this time by the turret 2! ing spindle is moved in unison therewith from A' operating in timed relation to the feed mechanism.

During the ensuing Period prior vto the next ,rotative movement of theV turret 29 and the spindle assemblies, the pear is pushed of! the v spindle onto the stemming tube 20 aligned therewith The mechanism provided for this purpose,

'as best seen in Figures s, 16, 19, and 20, includes a tubularpusher' |42, one of which is slidably mounted on each spindle sleeve 1|, and each pusher is provided atits outer end with an annular flange |44 forming a pusher head for engagement with a pearlmpaled on the spindle 1li. The

rear end of each pusher tube carries a bracket plate |45 provided with a pair of rearwardly projectinglugs |46 and a bearing |41 slidably journ'alled on an extension of the guide rod 6|. 'I'he pushers |43are normally held in retracted position, as shown in Figures 16 and 19 by an annular flange |48 secured to the innersurface of the cam housing adjacentl its open end, in which position the bearings |41 are received in recesses |49 in the spindle arms 65.

The pushers are actuated at the proper moment by means of a reciprocating latch block |50 mounted on the edge of the reciprocatory carriage ||6 directly beside position C oi the spindle assemblies and operative in a slot cut in the cam housing 51.

The latch block |50 is 'transversely channeled at |52 and in its retracted position, as illustrated in Figure 19, the channel is aligned with the path followed by the outer ends of the spindle arms 65 and pusher bracket platesV l |45 so as to receive them therein as they come to rest at position C. A pair of lugs |53 project upwardly from the latch block for engagement with the corresponding' lugs on the bracket plates |45.

During the rest period of each spindle assembly at position C the latch block is carried rst forwardly; as illustrated in Figure 20, and then rearwardly by the movement of the carriage IIB to which it is secured. As the latch block moves forwardly the lugs |46 on the pusher bracket plate |45 are engaged by the corresponding lugs |53 carried by the latch block |50, and the pusher is thereby advanced so as to push the pear off the spindle 12 onto the stemming tube 30 aligned therewith. A y

Upon reverse movement of the latch |50 its hooked end engages the bracket plate |45 and returns the pusher to its original normal position with respect to the spindle arm as shown in Figure 19. During the reciprocative movements of ments of the latch block |50 and pusher |43.

the latch block and pusher the spindle frames 63 and 65 are rigidly locked against any rotative movements such as might misalign the spindle 12 with the stemming tube 30 by means of a longitudinal groove |54 in the face ot the latch block which slidably engages with a key |55 projecting from the outer end of each spindle armv |5.

Upon completion of the reciprocative movewhereby the pear Yis transferred from the spindle 12 to the stemming tube Il, the spindle assembly is rotated back to position A, the turret 29 revolving at the same time t0 carry the stemming tube 30, with the pear impaled thereon, into operative relation with thel rst peeling unit and to bring another stemming tube into augment with Athe next succeeding spindle as itarrlves at position C.

During movement of the spindle assembliesfrom position C to position A the spindles 12 are retracted by the' slide blocks 15, due to engagement of the cam rollers 64 with the angular edge of the cam plate. 92 which. in conjunction -with the adjacent edge 6i' the cam plate 50. guides the cam rollers into position fox-'subsequent engagement and actuation by the shuttle block v05.

The peeling mechanism i Under the intermittent rotative movements of vthe turret Z9, each of thesstemming'tubes 00 is successively brought into registration with each one of a series of peeling units, which are wtuv ated in timed relation to the turret to peel the pears presented thereto by the stemming tubes. Four such peeling unitsl generally indicated at |56 (see Figures 2, 3 and 8) are provided in the illustrated embodiment, these being mounted upon the face of the semi-circular carriage ||6 in alignment with thepath followed by the stemming tubes andwith the same center to center spacing,A So that each peeling vunit is aligned with one4 of the stemming tubes during each interval between intermittent movements of the turret 29. f v

The construction of one of the peeling units is iliustratedindetail in Figures to 13, inclusive, and as they are all identical in construction a description of the one shown will sunice for all.`

Each unitvincludes a pair of yokes v|51 carrying peeling assemblies between their outer ends which are generally indicated at |58. The yokes are mounted in opposed relation by means of swivel pins |59 carried by the yokes and journalled in bearings |60 provided for their reception in lever arms |6| oi! bell cranks |62. The bell cranks are journalled for rocking movement on shafts |63 transversely supported between spaced brackets |64 projecting from the base plate |65 which is bolted to the face of the carriage H6.

p Theyokes are removably secured to the bell crank arms |6| by'means of hookedkeepers |66 which engage countersunk depressions in the ends of the swivel pins |59. The keepers |66 are 4slidably mounted in vbearing ea'rs |61 formed integral with the bell crank arms |60 and carry thumb latches |68 pivotally. secured thereto. When the latches are positioned as illustrated in full lines in Figure' 10 the keepers are held in retracted position so that their hooked ends engage the countersunk depressions in the swivel pins |59 and hold thefyokes |51 to the bell crank arms |6| withoutiinterfering in any way whatever with the pivotal motion oi the yokes on their swivel pins. By pivoting the thumb latches |60 into position at right angles to the keepers it will be seen that the latter may be shifted so as to disengage them from the yokes,

' whereupon the latter, with their associated peelassumed during rotative periods of the turret 29,

the yokes' |51 are -held apart, as seen in Figures 2 and 10. During the idle periods of the turret the peeling units are advanced toward the turret by the carriage |6, which is actuated at these times to carry the peeling assemblies |58 to the rear of the pears carried by the stemmingtubes, whereupon the yokes are moved together -to bring the peeling assemblies into operative relation'with the fruit see Figure 3). Upon reverse vmovement of the carriage I6 the peeling assemblies are drawn over the fruit to peel the same, and as the carriage again reaches its retracted position the yokes are moved apart in readiness for their next reciprocative movement.

The yokes are moved toward and away fromeach other 'at the proper-times by meansof eye lbolts |10 pinned between the bliurcated ends of 

